Sri Lanka Aims for Wind Power in Mannar.

Sri Lankaâ€™s Ceylon Electricity Board envisages installation of 375 megawatts in a wind power in Mannar between 2018 and 2025 as part of a drive to increase power generation from non-conventional renewable energy sources.

The total capacity from wind power increased to 124 megawatts by end 2014 after the first commercial wind power plants established in 2010.

â€œIt is proposed to develop a 375 megawatts wind farm at Mannar as semi dispatchable plants,â€ the CEB said in its Long Term Generation Expansion Plan for 2015-2034.

The plan is now available for public discussion.

The implementation is seen in several phases with other potential sites being Puttalam, the hill country and the north of he island.

â€œNCRE has become a prime potential source of energy for the future due to the low impact on the environment compared with conventional sources of energy,â€ the CEB said.

In comparison with conventional large power plants, the contribution from NCRE to the national grid remains small but continues to increase. In 2014 the energy share of NCRE was 9.8 percent.

As of 10th January 2015, approximately 442 megawatts of NCRE power plants are connected to the National Grid with the private sector leading investment.

By 2020 the CEB envisages 413 megawatts of additional capacity in mini hydro, 354 megawatts in wind power, 124 megawatts from biomass and 81 megawatts from solar power generation.